Reporters served with pork on 'swine flu' briefing
What better way to deliver the message that the so-called 'swine flu' virus is not contracted from eating pork.
The Departments of Health and Agriculture briefed the media yesterday on swine flu, now officially called North American Influenza A H1N1 virus, and served them lunch -- rice and grilled pork, aside from beef and fish fillet.
Echoing what national officials have earlier clarified, Regional Directors Ariel Valencia and Larry Nacionales of the DoH and DA, respectively, stressed that one cannot contract the virus from eating pork.
Yesterday's press briefing, the first here, is part of the government's drive to inform the public about the illness which has affected 1,085 people in 21 countries, and to prevent panic. It comes after a returning Overseas Filipino Worker from San Francisco, USA was cleared of the virus over the weekend.
Noting that waiters were already bringing in lunch inside the room, and that pork was included, Philippine Information Agency regional director Janet Mesa remarked, “as Director Nacionales said, it is safe to eat pork,” eliciting laughter from those present during the briefing.
Shortly after the briefing, but before lunch was to be served, Nacionales kidded that they really intended that pork be served to show that it is safe to eat porcine products.
“Yes, we really intended that pork be served for today's lunch,” he stressed.
The World Health Organization said in its website that “(t)here is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.”
Likewise yesterday, Nestor Burgos Jr., president of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also proposed that the DoH, DA, and PIA meet with representatives from the media industry to create a guideline for the coverage of Influenza A H1N1 cases, either suspected or confirmed.
Acknowledging the 'critical role' of media outlets, Valencia welcomed the proposal, saying that he will coordinate with Mesa regarding the proposal. He stressed that they will be holding weekly press briefings, to be held every Tuesday to update journalists about the latest developments about the virus.